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Topic: Can you help me understand these by answering some of my questions, please? (Read 3828 times)

I have been reading and re-reading a book titled Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-knowledge by A. Osborne.It is very encouranging but yet there are some things that I can't understand what they mean. Here they follow with my specific questions:

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"When Mrs. Noye had to return to her native America she could not restrain her tears. Sri Bhagavan consoled her: “Why do you weep? I am with you wherever you go.”It is true of all Bhagavan’s devotees. He is always with them; if they remember him he will remember them; even if they let go of him he will not let go of them, nevertheless to have it said to one personally was a great blessing." (Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-knowledge by A. Osborne)

In what sense is He with me now? Could someone please explain it to me? How can I know for sure He is with me here and now? It has been more than a year that I could visit Arunachala and I long to see Him again but somehow I am unable to go back - I am kept back from phisically going back for now but I still have the longing for Him. Can it be a sign that I have stuffs to do here in my native land and so it is also enough to remember Arunachala from afar? Reciting the mantras Arunachala Siva and Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya is a way of remembereing Him for example? And remembering my time at Arunachala?

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"This refers not only to the sanctity of Arunachala itself but also to the pre-eminence of the doctrine of Advaita and the path of Self-enquiry of which Arunachala is the centre. One can understand this meaning in Sri Bhagavan’s saying, “In the end everyone must come to Arunachala.”" (pg 48 Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-knowledge by A. Osborne)

I have been to Arunachala once and since then I feel to be kept back from returning there. Can it happen that someone longs to be there yet she can go there only once in a lifetime? Then maybe one needs to be satisfied with her memory of Arunachala and do her job, work, stuff at other places far from Arunachala but always thinking of Him? Or can this coming to Arunachala also mean the recognition of the Self?

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"Now, as then, he guides whoever approaches him and whoever submits to him he supports. To all who seek, He is here." (pg 221. Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-knowledge by A. Osborne)

How can I approach and submit to him (Sri Bhagavan Maharshi) in practice? What does seeking Him mean in practice? - in everyday life?Reciting the mantras Arunachala Siva and Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya is a way of remembereing Him for example?Is it also a way of seeking Him when I have something to decide on and I pray with my own words like, "Ramana, please, show me the way / step I need to take or things I need to do"?

Ms. Noye had seen Sri Bhagavan only once during her brief stay. But she must have always remembered Him. That is sufficientto invoke His Grace. Wolter Kiers saw Him only once, but he remembered Him till his death. One evening, he placed a photographand prostrated but did not rise up again. He merged with Arunachala. About Arunachala there is a saying, smaranadh Arunachalam....One who remembers Arunachala constantly or often, attains liberation. Of course, one can visit Asramam if possible. Because HisPresence is more powerful in the Samadhi Hall. But if one cannot afford, it does not matter. People in India visit Asramam once ina year or even two or three times a year. It is all to reinforce your faith in Him. But for people who cannot visit, remembering Himconstantly is more than enough to obtain His grace.

Ramanagiri Swami did not see Him at all. But he came to know about Him and came to the Asramam. Such cases are also there.Someone else had a dream calling him or her to Asramam and they had come.

The only pre-requisite is chidda suddhi. One should have purity of mind. Other things will happen on its own accord.

He is a living Guru, though not living in body. But His Presence is quite powerful. There are many who had vouchsafed it.David Godman came only after Sri Bhagavan's Mahanirvana. He is now staying in Tiiruvannamalai for more than 3 decades.

Ms. Noye had seen Sri Bhagavan only once during her brief stay. But she must have always remembered Him. That is sufficientto invoke His Grace. Wolter Kiers saw Him only once, but he remembered Him till his death. One evening, he placed a photographand prostrated but did not rise up again. He merged with Arunachala. About Arunachala there is a saying, smaranadh Arunachalam....One who remembers Arunachala constantly or often, attains liberation. Of course, one can visit Asramam if possible. Because HisPresence is more powerful in the Samadhi Hall. But if one cannot afford, it does not matter. People in India visit Asramam once ina year or even two or three times a year. It is all to reinforce your faith in Him. But for people who cannot visit, remembering Himconstantly is more than enough to obtain His grace.

Ramanagiri Swami did not see Him at all. But he came to know about Him and came to the Asramam. Such cases are also there.Someone else had a dream calling him or her to Asramam and they had come.

The only pre-requisite is chidda suddhi. One should have purity of mind. Other things will happen on its own accord.

He is a living Guru, though not living in body. But His Presence is quite powerful. There are many who had vouchsafed it.David Godman came only after Sri Bhagavan's Mahanirvana. He is now staying in Tiiruvannamalai for more than 3 decades.

Arunachala Siva.

Dear Subramanian. R.,Thank you very much for your answer. It is helpful and encouraging!

Yet, could some other unanswered questions be unswared - regardind types of prayers, etc. Thanks.Arunachala Shiva

Dear friend,You can regularly buy books of Bhagavan which will keep you remembering him.Like Shri Subramanian once said , you can start with the reminescences of various devotees and go on to books of his teachings,Talks with Shri Ramana Maharshi and so on.You can go through Ramanashramam's web site www.sriramanamaharshi.org books section.You can also try to see if there is any Ramana Kendra near where you live in, whichever country you are.Last and most importantly ,start to explore self enquiry slowly but steadily , Bhagavan's direct teaching .For this you may refer Be As you are by David Godman, the path of Sri Ramana part 1 and 2.As far as visiting Arunachala is concerned , it is in God's hands.If the longing is there , you will defintely be there, but when, no one can say .Like all things about Arunachala, this is another aspect of Arunachala's sublime mystery.But again in one sense by remembering him in your mind,you are already there ,isnt it?Regards,Anand.

As said by Anand Sundaram, you can start with reminiscences of Sri Bhagavan by His devotees. This will give you a first handinformation about how these devotees remembered Him and prayed to Him. How they developed their love to total surrender,or how they developed their self inquiry sadhana.

As for daily reading as prayers, I would suggest.

1. 108 Holy Names of Sri Ramana. Originally in Sanskrit with Tamizh meaning. But it is available in English also.

As said by Anand Sundaram, you can start with reminiscences of Sri Bhagavan by His devotees. This will give you a first handinformation about how these devotees remembered Him and prayed to Him. How they developed their love to total surrender,or how they developed their self inquiry sadhana.

As for daily reading as prayers, I would suggest.

1. 108 Holy Names of Sri Ramana. Originally in Sanskrit with Tamizh meaning. But it is available in English also.

2. Who am I? Read every day as if you are reading afresh.

3. Upadesa Saram or Upadesa Undiyar, in any language.

Arunachala Siva.

Namaste,

How interesting it is! I began reading 'Who am I?" and "Upadesa Saram" and pray to Bhagavan daily this week and now I am reading your post about your suggestion! Thanks!

After some time, you can start reading ULLadu Narpadu or Sad Darsanam in Sanskrit. This is not for parayana - daily chanting,but to know the comprehensive teachings of Sri Bhagavan on Atma Vichara. There are several meaning/commentaries available.Go verse by verse in depth. If you understand one verse per day - it is good enough.

1. Smt. T.R. Kanakammal. (Tamizh)

2. Sri Kapali Sastri (Sanskrit)

3. Sri Lakshmana Sarma (Tamizh)

and a few others.

There are also CDs in Tamizh by Nochur Venkataraman, in all running for 45 hours for 42 verses! Excellent sravanam.

No problem. There is a beautiful English translation (prose) of Sad Darsanam/Ulladu Narpadu, by Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan, late Professor of Philosophy under the Institute of Advanced Philosophy attached to MadrasUniversity. This is titled FORTY VERSES ON EXISTENCE. This book is also available as Sri Ramanasramam Publication.

who Ramana really is is awareness itself . this is also who you really are . one and the same , no separation .therefore Ramana is always with you because he IS you , as you are him .the separation is only a story the mind tells , a belief .you believe you are a person and you believe Ramana is someone separate from yourself .when you stop telling the story you will see who you are without it , who you really are .then you will know Ramana is always with you

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simply stop telling the story of the self and see who you are without it

I agree with you. Sri Bhagavan said to Sunyata: We are Aware, Sunyata'. That is all. Since Sunyata's ego is not at all developed,he could become one with Sri Bhagavan immediately. But we are all full of kingsize egos and we tend to believe the mind's storiesinstead of Sri Bhagavan.